Jeff Davis County Commissioners took another step Tuesday toward a broader public discussion on data centers, agreeing to appoint two county representatives to a committee that will research the potential benefits and concerns surrounding the industry before a public workshop is held.
The action came during the Sept. 8 regular meeting of the Jeff Davis County Board of Commissioners and follows discussion at the August meeting about holding a workshop to give residents an opportunity to learn more about data center development.
According to County Administrator Jayme Crosby, the Joint Development Authority has appointed two of its members to participate and asked Jeff Davis County to appoint two commissioners. Representatives from the cities of Hazlehurst and Denton are also expected to participate. The committee will research data centers and gather information on both the pros and cons before presenting its findings as part of a future public discussion.
Commissioners approved the appointment of two members of the board to participate in that process. Ricky Crosby and Vann Wooten will serve in this capacity with Rob Stone appointed as an alternate.
Community members will also have an opportunity to get involved. During the meeting, officials said the Joint Development Authority plans to develop an application form for residents interested in serving on the research committee. Applications will then be provided to the appropriate local governments, allowing the county and cities to select their respective citizen representatives.
No date has been set for the public workshop. Crosby again suggested that the meeting be held at the fairgrounds or another larger venue to accommodate residents who want to attend and participate. The committee is expected to conduct its research before the workshop is scheduled.
Data centers resurfaced during public comments later in the meeting, including questions about the county’s current moratorium and whether Jeff Davis County has sufficient land-use regulations in place should a data center developer seek to locate here.
One resident questioned the effectiveness of the moratorium because Jeff Davis County does not currently have zoning or a land-use ordinance and encouraged commissioners to seek legal guidance on the issue. Commissioners indicated they would look into the question.
Another resident urged commissioners to begin researching the issue now — regardless of whether they ultimately support or oppose data center development. She told commissioners she had been researching how other Georgia counties have dealt with data center proposals and regulations and had gathered information from communities including Crawford and DeKalb counties.
Among the issues she encouraged commissioners to investigate were water use and recycling, around-the-clock construction activity, truck traffic, regulations adopted by other communities and the long-term effects of economic incentives.
The resident stressed that she was not taking a position for or against data centers but wanted county leaders to have as much information as possible before making decisions that could have long-term consequences for Jeff Davis County. She also challenged commissioners to actively participate in the research process and seek input from the residents they represent. Commissioner, James Benjamin reminded the other commissioners that he had previously suggested bringing an individual familiar with data centers to Hazlehurst to speak on the subject.
The comments reflect an issue commissioners themselves acknowledged at the August meeting: before deciding what role, if any, data centers should have in Jeff Davis County’s future, both officials and residents want more information. The newly forming committee is intended to begin that process.
Commissioners also received preliminary information Tuesday on the county’s 2026 millage rate. Crosby told commissioners the county is approximately 16.66 percent through its FY2027 budget year and has spent approximately 15.3 percent of the budget to date, putting expenditures below the percentage of the year completed.
A called meeting is scheduled for Monday, Sept. 14th at 5:30 p.m. to approve the county’s millage rate. The current county millage rate is 12.175 mills. The recommendation presented Tuesday would reduce that rate to 11.561 mills. No action was taken on the rate Tuesday. Commissioners were given the information in advance of the Sept. 14th meeting for review.
The Jeff Davis County Board of Education is also expected to hold a called meeting Sept. 14th to establish its millage rate before providing that information to the county.
Commissioners also approved a $12,800 bid from Air Pro Heating to replace two aging air-conditioning units at the main Towns Bluff building, which houses the museum, office space and conference room. Three bids were received: $12,800, $16,900 and $22,700.
Officials discussed differences between the proposals, including the size of the replacement units. The existing system consists of two 3.5-ton units and is approximately 20 years old. Commissioners ultimately approved the lowest bid.
The board also discussed a vacancy on the Jeff Davis County Board of Tax Assessors following Charles Marchant’s decision to step down. Former board member David DeSosa expressed a willingness to fill the remainder of the term. Commissioners discussed whether the position should immediately be advertised to the public. The board ultimately voted to allow DeSosa to serve through the end of the current term and advertise the position afterward.
Commissioners also received several updates involving fire protection and emergency management. Work on the bay at Fire Station 8 is nearing completion, with concrete work on the apron and electrical work for lighting among the remaining items.
The county’s hazard mitigation plan has also been approved by FEMA following revisions that included changes made in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene.
Officials are still awaiting action from Appling County on an automatic-aid agreement that could potentially benefit residents in the Graham area. Once finalized, the agreement could help address fire-protection ratings for some residents currently classified at ISO Class 10.
Commissioners were also informed that a pump on one of the county’s fire trucks has failed and will need to be replaced. The preliminary estimated cost is between $8,000 and $15,000, although a final price had not yet been received.
In other business, Commissioners approved a beer and wine application for Countryside Convenience after being told the application had met county requirements.
The board also approved the low bid from Sikes Brothers for the county’s upcoming 2026 LRA road projects following a recommendation from Hofstadter and Associates.
Commissioners approved a resolution related to the Jeff Davis County Joint Comprehensive Plan, which has been developed with participation from Jeff Davis County and the cities of Hazlehurst and Denton.
The county also authorized creation of a separate bank account for state funds received through the Back the Blue Act. Officials said those funds are restricted for eligible law-enforcement bonuses and will be handled separately to allow the county to properly process and tax the payments.
While commissioners handled several items Tuesday, discussion surrounding data centers continues to emerge as one of the county’s larger long-term issues. The next step will be assembling the research committee, including citizen participants, before a date is established for the anticipated public workshop.
